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Now on to this week’s musings…
‘How inappropriate to call this planet ‘Earth’ when it is clearly ‘Ocean’’– Arthur C. Clarke
A few months ago, I received an email out of the blue. It was from a curator at The Box in Plymouth inviting me to be part of an exhibition titled Planet Ocean. It was a watershed moment in my career, the first time a gallery has sought me out rather than the other way around.
Obviously, I leapt at the opportunity.
The Box is an incredible space, equal parts art gallery, science museum, and natural history museum. In the exhibition my sculpture, Underwater Meadows, sits among art and artefacts drawn from the natural history, art, and social history collections at the museum.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went to install my work. After meetings with Sarah, the curator, I had a vague idea but nothing specific. Nor was I sure about my own work. Underwater Meadows was created as an extension of The Seagrass Walk but has been hiding in Sian’s office at Plymouth Uni since I made it, un-exhibited and with no permanent home.
When I conceived the work, inspired by something I had seen at the Venice Biennale, I was so excited by the idea of it. But until now I have never had the chance to really love it or see it fulfilling its potential as a piece.
Planet Ocean has changed that.
Even when the exhibition was still being put together, my work was transformed by the setting and the company. Gorgeous art from across history, fascinating objects, important and meaningful ideas about the ocean and our relationship with this incredible part of our planet fill the room at The Box. Underwater Meadows belongs here, part of this essential conversation. I am beyond honoured to be included.
Underwater Meadows was created to evoke the incredible seagrass and seaweed meadows of the south west coast. A hybrid between light art and sculpture, the work was inspired by the colours, movement and light I witnessed swimming over these incredible habitats. Made using recycled ocean plastic the sculpture helps protect the environment by permanently removing this damaging material and repurposing it.
I was lucky enough to go last weekend to see the exhibition in full and be at the opening celebrations for this important show. I’m never quite sure what you are meant to do at events like this but was thrilled I was there when a young woman starting her undergraduate this autumn came up to me full of questions and compliments about my work. It was a deeply moving experience and one that will stay with me.
I want to thank Sarah and all the team at The Box for including my work, and for putting this incredible show together. And I want to thank Ocean Plastic Technologies who helped me create Underwater Meadows. It is wonderful imagining people seeing and enjoying my work for the next year.
The exhibition is free and opening until February 25th for anyone visiting Plymouth. You can find out more on the website: